Students sensitised on child marriages

Ongole: A one-day orientation programme for engineering college students was held on child marriages and immoral trafficking in women here on Sunday under the joint aegis of Help Girls’ Advocacy, an NGO, and Prakasam District Legal Services Authority.

Speakers called for establishing legal aid clubs in colleges to sensitise students against child marriages, immoral trafficking in women and girls and the malady of drugs.

During 2014-2017, a total of 773 cases of child marriages were registered in Prakasam district.

Additional senior judge Sharat Babu pointed out that the country achieved the dubious distinction of ranking number five in world in the trafficking of children. It was a matter of shame, he said adding that the state ranked number in trafficking of children in the country.

Help Girls’ Advocacy official BV Sagar said that such orientation programmes are being conducted across the district. He thanked officials and especially the law department officials for their cooperation in organising such events.

District coordinator of the NGO Ramesh, official NVS Murthy, community mobiliser K Sulochana, Childline representative K Mantru Naik and others took part in the programme.